Biddeford man sentenced to prison for fatal crash

ALFRED, Maine (NEWS CENTER) - It was a bad decision that greatly impacted two families. The decision by one young man to get behind the wheel after drinking.

Today 20-year old Patrick Beatson of Biddeford was sentenced to spend 3-years in prison for a crash that killed his childhood friend Chaz Dorais.

It happened in the early morning hours of January 8th, 2012 when Patrick Beatson lost control of his Chevy on West Street in Biddeford and crashed into a garage. His passenger Chaz Dorais died at the scene from his injuries. The two had been friends for 12-years.

"You've got one family that's got a dead son and another family whose son is going away for three years. There's nothing good that comes of these things", said Cliff Strike, Beatson's Attorney.

After the hearing Beatson was immediately handcuffed and taken away to begin serving his sentence. If the sentence doesn't send a message Chaz Dorais' father hopes the pain that this has caused his family will.

"Where do we go for Christmas, Easter. We go to see him at the gravesite, it's sad", said Corey Dorais.

Outside the two families torn apart by this one bad decision met for the first time. Patrick Beatson will serve his time at the correctional center in Windham.